Cinco de Mayhem audiobook

Love the Santa Fe setting and all the foodie and cultural references in this series. A solid mystery and, while I sussed out the killer midway, I couldn't figure out some critical pieces in order to provide means and opportunity. Gripping climax, satisfactory growth in the romance department and so many laugh out loud moments kept me invested in the story...and looking forward to the next (and last, sob!) book in the Santa Fe Cafe Mystery series.

Rita Lafitte is preparing a delicious feast for Cinco de Mayo at both work, Tres Amigas Cafe and in her personal life for gorgeous local lawyer, Jake Strong. When a competitor and all around jerk, Napoleon ends up dead there should be no shortage of suspects but the police are only focusing on her friend, Linda who runs a tamale cart next to Napoleon's crepe cart. Of course it doesn't help that Linda's cart was found on top of his body. Rita pairs up with her boss, Flori and waitress, Addie to free Linda and catch Napoleon's killer before they strike again.

I enjoy a light hearted murder story (is that even a thing?!?) and this book fit the bill. The writer holds my interest and although I wouldn’t say the ending was a surprise, it wasn’t so obvious as to make the book too predictable. I immediately downloaded book 3 in the series and can’t wait to start it!!

Good cozy mystery. More French themed than Cinco de Mayo. Or, maybe the author thought the French should have won that battle. I totally knew who the killer was the whole time. Maybe wave a smidge to one other person but it was kinda obvious. Especially if you're a big cozy mystery fan.

3.75--and I really hope the proof-reading improves.

Summary from Goodreads:"Tres Amigas Café chef Rita Lafitte is busy baking her green chile soufflés and chocolate flans for Cinco de Mayo. If only her friend Linda, the daughter of Rita’s octogenarian boss Flori, could get into the festive spirit. Linda’s cart, Tia Tamales, is losing business to Crepe Empire, the hottest food cart in Santa Fe. Napoleon, Crepe Empire’s owner, is a pompous, celebrity chef who wants to squeeze out the competition. But when Linda gets into a heated argument with Napoleon and his corpse is later found stabbed and pinned beneath the wheels of her tamale cart, she becomes the number one suspect.Determined to prove Linda’s innocence, Rita investigates. From Napoleon’s disgruntled former employees to a shady health inspector, the list of suspects is longer than Flori’s strings of dried chili peppers. And when another corpse surfaces, Rita must scramble to find an elusive killer with an appetite for murder…"My Thoughts:This is such a fun series and one that I am really coming to adore! Last year I read and absolutely loved Bread of the Dead which is the first book in this cozy series. I knew after finishing book one that this was a series that I wanted to continue on with. I'm sure that you can imagine how thrilled I was when I was approved to read this book early on Edelweiss (it took all my self control to wait closer to the release date to read it). Cinco de Mayhem was just as good as I hoped that it would be and left me wishing for book three. I have enjoyed these two books so much that this author has now jumped on to my must read list where I will anxiously await all books that she writes. One of the things that makes this series stand out for me are the characters. Oh but how I adore the characters in these books! Rita is a single mom dealing with a teenage daughter that is slightly rebellious and working as a chef in Tres Amigas Cafe. I talked about this in my review of book one but she is just so easy to relate to in my opinion. There are so many women out there dealing with many of the same issues that Rita is dealing with and I love her character because of it. She isn't perfect and doesn't pretend to have everything under control either. The character that steals the show (for me anyways) is Flori. Flori and her wacky ways are such fun to read about it. If I found myself laughing while reading this book, it was because of something Flori was up to. She is always causing mischief of some kind and it is so fun to read about. This book actually wasn't as humorous in comparison to book one but I did find myself giggling here and there still. I just wanted a bit more of Flori's hi-jinks because they are so fun to read about (my one and only complaint with this book). I'm also really starting to become a fan of Addie who is a secondary character and played a more important role in this book. She also makes me laugh with her attempts to be more like the famous singer Adele. Basically I love all of the characters so it is no wonder that this series works so well for me!Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am left wishing that I had the third book in my hands now. I believe that this is the exact same thing that I said after finishing book one. LOL! The mystery portion of this book was done quite well and had me guessing until the very end. I suspected the killer at certain points of the book but the author did a really great job of making me doubt myself so the ending was still a surprise. I read this book entirely too fast and was sad to see it end. A mark of a truly great series is when you wish that the characters were actually people that you could be friends with. I would love to have someone like Flori in my life- it would be a hoot! I can definitely recommend this series but I do think that you should read Bread of the Dead first! Highly recommended!Bottom Line: A wonderful addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss.

This was a totally enjoyable awesome book ! So many colorful characters that were quirky and fun to read. Loved the wonderful storyline that had me guessing what character were playing up next. Would recommend this book to everyone who enjoy a great mystery :)

The story begins with a green chile and cheese soufflé—spicy, light and airy, and at risk of sudden collapse, setting the tone for a comic culinary mystery. Rita Lafitte and her colleagues at Tres Amigas, the Santa Fe café of the series title, get involved in solving a murder again. The victim is a petty, arrogant bully, a restaurateur and food cart operator who made enemies of all the other food cart owners in the city. Not an easy death to care about except that a friend of Rita’s is being framed for it. Linda Santiago, the unlucky accused, is a wonderful, original character from the first book who doesn’t fit any mold or any of the standard roles in a comic mystery. Another complex, intriguing and believable character is the multi-faceted Don Busco, hotdog vendor and raconteur. Others are more broadly drawn and provide great comedy, especially Addie, with her delightfully eccentric fantasies of being British, and eighty-something Flori with her flirtatious ways, her sleuthing hobby and her new fascination with Sun Tzu’s Art of War. They are wildly colorful, but not to the point of being impossible. Someone just might feel free to be that odd in The City Different.It was good to see Rita still connected to the memory of Victor from the first book in a natural flow of her personal story from one book to the next, and to watch how her budding romance develops. Her relationship with her daughter is an ongoing part of the series that adds depth and realism and of course the inevitable humor and conflict of parenting a teenager.I got a kick out of the arrival of a flamboyant professional thief and his role in the plot. With the high rate of burglaries and thefts in Santa Fe, he may have strong future in the series. There are only 2 or 3 murders a year, but people like him have a thriving occupation. The setting is brought to life, though only a very small portion of the city is featured. The writing is tight and polished, digressing only for the food-related tidbits that narrator Rita and culinary aficionado readers would find irresistible. With several subplots and red herrings, the plot was paced to keep to me turning the pages even after I figured out the killer’s identity. The revelation scene was the only weak point. Even though almost every mystery does it this way, I’m not a fan of this particular genre convention. The final ending was satisfying, however. And of course, there are recipes for some of the foods featured in the story, including the thematic soufflé that frames the tale.

Review can be read at It's About The Book 4.5 starsAs with any of the great foodie mystery writers, never read when you’re hungry. The gastronomic delights described on each page will only ultimately disappoint. You’ll never be able to find anything in your cabinets or refrigerator that will live up to what you’re reading when you’re searching your kitchen at 1 am in the morning. But I do love a good mystery combined with great food, and this book was scrumptious. Beware to those with elevated tastes, however, because this is New Mexican at its finest, and the chiles make everything caliente!Santa Fe, with its gorgeous scenery and fabulous cultural influences, creates an unparalleled backdrop for this culinary mystery. Rita Lafitte is busy planning the menu for the Cinco de Mayo celebration at Tres Amigos cafe and a steamer selection for her date that night with lawyer Jake Strong. Unfortunately, things keep getting in the way. Like the food cart wars happening in downtown Santa Fe, which currently involves her boss’s daughter Linda and her tamale cart. Fancy French chef Napoleon is determined to make his cart the best, and he’s not above ugly tricks and strong-arming the other cart owners to gain not only the premium spot but narrow the field. It’s not surprising to anyone when he ends up dead, it’s just where he’s found that is surprising.It’s obvious to everyone but Rita’s ex, Detective Manny Martin, that someone is framing Linda. Rita begins sleuthing around town while trying to avoid her eager-to-help boss and her assistant. The way things are going, she’s going to need Jake’s legal services before they can have their date!I really enjoyed the sights and sounds, the food (and recipes!), and the atmosphere that resonated throughout the story. This was a cleverly plotted mystery, and it kept me going to the end. If you’re a fan of the cozy, this book would be a welcome new taste. There’s friendship, food, fellow detectives eager to help, and a brewing romance simmering on the side. Take a trip to New Mexico–I plan to visit again soon!

I loved the second installment in the "Santa Fe Cafe" mysteries! Although I really enjoyed the first, "Bread of the Dead" -- that lead me to pick up "Cinco" -- I liked this second book even more! I love mysteries, but tend to go for something a little more gritty than cozy mysteries. When I do read the tamer cozy mysteries, I go for something a little different, like Scottish highland dancers or psychics. I don't usually do the food mysteries.I'm pleased to say that Ann Myers has made me re-think this!! Of course, it's hard to read about delicious carne adovada or a green chile soufflé when it's 10pm at night and I'm salivating while reading, but it just proves Ann can write and especially about food! I find her characters to be warm, colorful, and sympathetic. I like that they aren't all goody-two shoes. Rita is vulnerable and funny, with realistic foibles. With many easy mysteries in the cozy style, I find myself a little bored by the end, because they can get predictable. Not so with Ann's "Santa Fe" gang! I didn't know who the killer was until she revealed it at the end! And by the time I got to the end, I was so sorry it was over!!! I want to spend more time with Rita and Flori, Addie and Cass, and the rest of the crew. Can't wait for the next installment!

A Santa Fe setting and a foodie theme make this cozy a great read for a blue day= it's cheerful, fun, and light. Rita is a cool character and she's believable as an amateur detective. Her friends and frenemies are equally perfect for the novel. I had not read Myers before but I was ok with this as a standalone- although now I'm looking forward to the next installment! Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC!

Another fun trip to Santa Fe with Rita Lafitte and the gang from Tres Amigas Cafe. Rita and her boss, Flori, must solve the murder of a local celebrity chef and major bully after Flori's daughter Linda is accused of the crime. I love Santa Fe and the author's description of the town and food takes me right back there. The Santa Fe Cafe series is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

A great read. Can't wait to read the next in the series.